


Mask

by draculard



Category: Naruto
Genre: Asexual Hatake Kakashi, Asexual Maito Gai, Domestic Fluff, Hokage Kakashi, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Queerplatonic relationship, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:21:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25892788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/draculard/pseuds/draculard
Summary: "You don't take it off?" Gai asked him. "Ever?"
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Comments: 3
Kudos: 112





	Mask

“You don’t take it off?” Gai asked him, leaning over Kakashi’s shoulder as he read. “Ever?”

Kakashi glanced up, his head lolling back against the futon. “When I’m sleeping,” he said. His bad eye was closed, his flak jacket and Hokage cloak both tossed on the floor near the front door. His hair flopped over his forehead.

“You don’t always take it off when you’re sleeping,” Gai argued. “I’ve seen you sleeping with it on.”

Kakashi only shrugged. “And when I’m eating,” he said as an afterthought, as if Gai hadn’t spoken.

Gai scoffed. “Well, of course you do. But nobody can see your  _ face _ when you’re eating! You scarf it down so fast—”

Kakashi’s good eye was back on his book. He reached up blindly, found Gai’s shoulder, and patted it. 

“Why do you wear it, anyway?” Gai asked, changing tactics. “I mean, really. It’s not to avoid being recognized. You’re the only ninja in Konoha with silver hair; everyone knows who you are whether you wear a mask or not!”

“It’s a conversation starter,” Kakashi said absently. Gai raised his eyebrows as high as he could and pulled the book out of Kakashi’s hands, forcing him to look up.

“Funny you say that,” said Gai, “since every time it comes up, you avoid a conversation.”

“I’m hideously disfigured,” Kakashi said, changing excuses with ease. 

“Sure.”

“Actually, I’m just hideous.” Kakashi craned his neck, checking to see if Gai bought it — or more likely, checking to see if he was ready to let the subject go. Whatever he saw in Gai’s face didn’t satisfy him; his eyes darkened; he sat up straighter.

“It really bothers you that I wear it?” he asked.

Gai leaned back, so surprised by the question that for a moment he couldn’t speak. “No, it doesn’t bother me!” he said earnestly. “It’s you. It’s part of who you are. I like it!”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

“Well, it’s interesting, okay?” Gai admitted. “It’s an attention-grabber. It’s unique.”

Kakashi’s expression didn’t change. 

“And it makes you very difficult to read,” Gai muttered, poking Kakashi in the shoulder. “Are you amused or are you irritated? I can’t tell.”

Kakashi closed his eyes, telegraphing his smile for Gai. 

“Do you kiss with the mask on?” Gai asked — quickly, while Kakashi’s eyes were still closed. He looked away studiously as Kakashi opened his eyes again. For a long moment, he could feel Kakashi staring at him.

“I don’t kiss,” said Kakashi — plainly, with no embarrassment. “Do you?”

Gai hesitated. He supposed he didn’t; in any case, it had been years, and it was something he could go the rest of his life without.

“No,” he said.

Underneath the mask, he was sure Kakashi smiled again. There were times, of course, when he could have looked — could have seen beneath the mask if he wanted to. Missions where Kakashi was injured and took his mask down for treatment; moments during their competitions when all he needed to do was look to the side during an eating contest to get a look; nights where they slept together just for the comfort of it, and he turned away while Kakashi undressed. 

He always averted his eyes. Kakashi never asked him to, but he always did.

And he’d continue to do so, he supposed.


End file.
